The next generation of power electronics will be integral to the production of the most advanced weapons systems across all branches of the US military. Securing the weapon’s supply chains has been identified as a high priority by the US Government. Although the United States Department of Defense (DoD) has adopted industry standards for supply chain protection, the risk of Component Counterfeiting is ever-increasing, and the severity of the potential consequences is expanding. Approximately 5-7% of all world trade is affected by counterfeiting and tampering.
More rigorous countermeasure prevention technologies are required to meet these serious threats by introducing secure authentication and end-to-end traceability technologies. Within DoD, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) plays a critical role in the sustainment of weapon systems and is responsible for logistical support for more than 2,400 systems across the military services and is leading much of these threat protection efforts.
It is generally acknowledged by defense industry partners that one of the most effective approaches to eliminate counterfeit parts within the DoD supply chain is a closed tracking system. HNu Photonics, LLC. (Kahului, HI) is addressing this need for securing microelectronic circuit board systems within the defense supply chain by utilizing a tag with anti-counterfeit, track-and-trace, and data storage technologies. These will introduce the ability to track electronic components from the OEM source and then trace them through the supply chain to the end-use application.
QorTek Inc, with partners HNu Photonics LLC and Lockheed Martin, has just been awarded a $1M SBIR Phase II contract by DLA to introduce advanced threat countermeasures by qualifying the HNu XTG Component Anti-Counterfeit Protection Solution on the next generation of torpedo power supplies. These are being commercialized at QorTek and are presently in the final qualification efforts for the MK48 Power Modules. As a key objective to this effort, QorTek will be integrating the HNu Photonics state-of-the-art XTG Anti-Counterfeit Protection tracking technology into the MK48 electronics assembly.
QorTek power supplies come in a variety of industry-standard sizes and are designed for low noise and fast transient performance with upgradeable firmware.
About QorTek Inc.
With nearly 60 employees including 35 Engineers (EE, ME, MatSE), and 4 PhDs, QorTek is a world leader in smart material devices and high-density power electronics, innovating, developing, and providing quality solutions to a diverse array of industries including underwater systems, land & air systems, military & commercial space systems, medical, and industrial. The dedicated and experienced team is committed to creatively advancing technology to promote sustainable business growth, driven by dynamic engineering enabled by advanced science and technology.
